Softening apparatus



B. S. LEE.

SOFTENING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1918.

1,341,183. Patented May 25,1920

vgm 717% MM .1 1.311

' moldin steam of a hi her temperature or a safe to subject many kinds of leather, espe-' cially vegetable tanned leather, to such hi h' UNITED STATES PATENT .IOFFICE.

BERNARD 5. LEE, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORP ORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOFTENING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 25,1920,

Application filed October 7, 1918. Serial No. 257,219.

specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in softening parts of boots and shoes by steam orv vapor during their manufacture.

Great difficulty is experienced in operations such as pulling-over and lasting operations in the production oftocs properly shaped and conformed to the last, unless the shoe materials have been rendered soft and pliable. Various apparatus have been devised for supplying steam or dry heat or both to the toes of shoes in order to prevent damage to the material, and also to facilitate the materials of the box toe to the last. team is generated, at atmospheric pressure, at about 212 F. It becomes much lowered in temperature, however, before reaching the shoe in the steaming devices that are now in use, even if it travels only a few inches, the temperature of the steam as it reaches the shoe being frequently below 130 F. The steam is consequently very wet. Some shoes have box toes that re uire rier vapor, or bot than supplied by known forms of toe-softening devices tosoften the material sufliciently to permit satisEfactory or ex perature of 140 F. or higher, while it is un temperatures. An important object of t e present invention is to provide an improved organization of means to increase the heat content ofv the steam orvapor supplied 1n toe-moistening devices without increasing the quantity of moisture discharged or the pressure at which it is discharged, to the end that vapor at substantially atmos heric pressure may be heated to; any desire temperature at a point so close to the work that its effective temperature as it reaches the work may be regulated with precision.

The stiffening material of whichj .the socalled Beckwith toe-boxes are made hecomes soft when heated moderately without of vapor is desirable (the quantity depending upon the kind of leather used for the upper) to soften the leather. One fault in apparatus heretofore used for softening uppers is that the, requisite heat cannot be obtained without excessive steam-pressure and excessive discharge of moisture. This -moisture, but in practice a small quantity fault is due to generating the steam at a great distance from the point of use. This condition necessitates considerable steampressure and copious discharge to carry the steam to the work before its temperature falls below the useful degree. Consequently apparatus of the latter type are not only wasteful of heat but they entail a discharge of moisture that is too great for the good of the leather and for'the health of the occu ants of the workroom.

n order to overcome-the objectionable conditions attendant upon former apparatus a feature of the present invention consists in a novel orgamzation of means for gencrating vapor at substantially atmospheric' pressure in proximity to the work, and means for raising the temperature of the vapor to any desired degree, without entailing. a too forcible or a too copious discharge. Another feature consists in an arrangement whereby the latter means ma when desired, be used to enerate heat without requiring the first sai means to generate Figure ,1 is a view in perspective of the J toe softening apparatus;

Fig. '2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion of the apparatus, and

. ig. 3 is a detail view, in perspective, of

a ortion of the baflle plate and casing.

he apparatus comprises a tank 2 which maiy be suitably supported, as upon a pe estal 1 The tank 2 contains a body of water 3 which may be supplied thereto and maintained at an' appropriate level therein by any suitable means. The lower portion of the tank may be formed with a cylindrical or other appropriately shaped casing 4, within which is located suitable heating -means in the form of an electric unit 6 and having wires 8 for "supplying current, the wires passing through an insulating plug 10. By means of the electrical unit the current-supplying wires -16 which pass through an insulating plug 18, the unit 14 serving'to heat or superheat the steam or vapor which rises from the body of water 3,. as will appear. Above the unit 14 is located a diaphragm or bafile plate 20 which extends across the tank 2, and may be secured to the walls thereof by suitable means as screws 21. The baffle plate is herein shown asprovided with a plurality of transverse passages 22, and each of said passages communicates with the steam space below the battle plate by openings 24, each alternate opening 24 being arranged at the opposite end of its passage 22, and perforations 26 permit the escape of the heated steam from the ends of the passages 22, said perforations being arranged in staggered relation so that the vapor flows in tortuous passages through the bafile plate.

The volume of steam generated and the temperature of the steam delivered from the baffle plate may be independently regulated by rheostats, as shown. The steam approaching the baffle plate may be below 212 F., due to loss of heat during its rise from the water 3, and may be brought back to the saturation point, or even superheated at the bafiie plate. Its temperature will again drop as it moves to the shoe.

The front wall of the casing 2 is provided with openings 30 which are shaped to receive the toe-ends of the shoes being treated. In order to support the shoes with their toes in the vapor-chamber of the casing 2 a shoerest 32 is provided in front of each opening 30. The shoes are supported in. inverted position upon the V-shaped portions of the rest 32 and the toe ends of the shoes rest upon the lower walls of the openings 30,

the tortuous passage2 is heated to a suitable degree. Such sup'erheated vapor rises and passes to and heats the toe-ends of the shoes projecting into the space above. the baffle plate. In consequence of heatin the vapor the latter softens the box toe qulckly without unduly moistening the upper leather.

or the insole, and the toe materials are there fore prepared; for lasting without undergoing the injury that has heretofore been caused by too much moisture.

The top portion of the tank 2 is, as shown in Fig. 1, provided with a suitable cover which confines the vapor, more or less, to the space in which are located the toes of the shoes being treated, and an outlet 38 from said top permits the vapor to escape from the tank in such quantities as to prevent an undue amount of back pressure in the ap paratus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An apparatus ofv the character described comprising a casing, means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof in said casing, means for generating heat in a body of liquid in said casing to produce vapor, and means arranged directly in the path of the vapor for superheating the vapor.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing, means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof in said casing, means for supplying vapor to said casing, a baflie having one or more assageways for conducting the vapor, an means to superheat the vapor as it flows through said passageways.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing, means for supporting a shoe with a portion thereof in said casing, means to vaporize liquid in said casing, a baffle plate having tortuous passages therethrough for the vapor, and means to superheat the vapor flowing through said passa es.

4. apparatus of the character described comprising a casing, means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof in said casing, heat-generating means in the lower part of said casing for vaporizing a body of liquid therein, and other heat-generating means located in the path of the vapor o superheat the vapor.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing arranged to contain liquid, means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof above the liquid in said casing, heating means located below the liquid and adapted to vaporize the same in said casing, a diaphragm above said heatin means having a passage for the vapor, and means to superheat the vapor as it flows through said passage.

6. n apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a casing arranged to contain a body of liquid, means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof in said casing, 21 compartment in the lower part of the casing, a heating unit therein for vaporizing the hquid, a baflle located in the casing above the first-named compartment and having ducts for the passage of the vapor through it, and a heating unit embedded in said bafiie to superheat the vapor passing through said ducts.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing arranged to contain a body of liquid, means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof in said casin a compartment arranged below the liqui to contain a heating unit, a baffle plate above the liquid-level in said casing and having passages therethrough, and a compartment elow said bafiie plate to contain a heating unit to superhea't the vapor.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing, means for vaorizing liquid in said casing, a baffle plate ocated above said vaporizing means and provided with horizontal passages, vapor inlet and outlet openings for said passages, said openings bein in staggered relation, means to superheat t e vapor flowing through said passages, and means for supporting a shoe with a part thereof within said casing and above the baflle plate.

9. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing arranged to contain a body ofliquid, a heating unit in said casing below the liquid therein, a baffle plate provided with tortuous vapor-passages and located in said casing above. said heating unit, a second heating unit located below said bafiie plate for superheating the vapor flowing through said passages, and means for supporting a shoe with a art thereof within the casing and above sai baflle plate.

10. An apparatus of; the character described comprising steam generating means, a bafile plate to which the steam is conducted arranged to heat the steam, and an electric unit in thermal communication with the bafile plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

. BERNARD S. LEE. 

